Sleeping Bear Dunes father refuses to wear shirt in court hearing

The Orchard Lake man who was the subject of a search in Sleeping Bear Dunes this week has a history of drunken driving arrests, according to information obtained from the Secretary of State’s office.

Daniel Gerard Elliott, 50, was arraigned Wednesday on one count of domestic violence, a 93-day misdemeanor, and remains in Emmet County jail.

Elliott’s first arrest occurred in January 1989, when he was ticketed for impaired driving in Bloomfield Hills.

His license was suspended from March 1990 through September of that year.

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In December 1990, he was arrested in Petoskey for operating under the influence and his license was suspended from February to August 1992. He was permitted to drive to community service and substance abuse treatment.

Elliott was arrested in July 1992 in Dearborn for impaired driving and his license was revoked in February 1995.

In March this year, he received a restricted license.

Court officials in Petoskey said Elliott was uncooperative during his arraignment Wednesday, refusing to wear a shirt while in court.

He is to undergo a mental health exam, according to the court.

On Thursday, he remained in jail, having not posted a bond, set for $100,000 cash or surety.

Elliott and his three minor children became the subject of a search after Elliott’s wife, Jessie, reported she had been forced out of the family vehicle by her husband Sunday morning, and he drove off with the children.

The wife filed a missing person report and said she was concerned for the welfare of her children because of her husband’s mental state but did not believe he would harm them. The family was in the area visiting friends and family. The family’s car was found early Monday.

After a search, Elliott and his children, 9, 10 and 14, were spotted by a deputy. The children were tired, hungry and thirsty but were not injured.